Erin Dollar

Thoughts on Creativity – Erin Dollar on the Elise Gets Crafty Podcast

July 29, 2015

Recently, I had the pleasure of chatting with Elise Blaha Cripe about burnout and creativity for an episode of her podcast, Elise Gets Crafty. I love sharing my experience with nurturing creativity in my business, so this conversation was one a particularly engaging conversation.

I still have lots to learn about how to avoid burnout (if you listen to the podcast, you’ll hear how I work to survive the holiday season craziness every year…), but it was fun to hear Elise’s perspective on this subject. The photo above is Elise’s favorite quote from the episode.

You can listen to the show by downloading via iTunes, or visit the show notes on Elise’s website. If you enjoyed the episode, let me know over on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Super Modern Decor – Anthology Magazine

July 27, 2015

So excited to have spotted Cotton & Flax tea towels in the Design Matters issue of Anthology Magazine! This was in an article on the beautiful home of Richard Kim and Kristine Arellano of Presshaus LA – you might recognize her home as the location where I shot my Fall/Winter lookbook with Laure Joliet!

I can’t get enough of their home. They designed their gorgeous modern home from the ground up, and as any lover of minimalist modern decor knows, it’s tough to achieve this level of cohesive beauty!

You can check out more photos from Jessica Comingore’s shoot for Anthology Magazine over on her blog.

Supporting Childhood Literacy and Creativity in Los Angeles – Partnering with 826LA

June 29, 2015

As you may have seen back in May, I made a pledge to donate a portion of the profits from the sale of our notebooks to 826LA, to support their after-school tutoring program here in LA. $1 from the sale of each notebook will go directly to 826LA, and I’ve decided to extend that pledge an extra month, and continue the fundraiser through July!

This subject is close to my heart. I loved creative writing as a student, and I was lucky enough to have some fantastic teachers who nurtured my interest in expressing myself through writing. The tutors and volunteers at 826LA are doing more than just teaching valuable literacy skills to kids — they are also inspiring students to develop a lifelong love of reading and writing, and planting the seeds for the next generation of creative storytellers.

I hope to raise as much money as possible to help 826LA in their mission of supporting students ages 6 to 18 with their creative and expository writing skills. 826LA is doing some amazing things here in LA, including some great summer programs to keep kids engaged in learning, working with volunteers on their writing, verbal, and reading skills. Visit their site to learn more about 826LA, and see the benefits of their after-school tutoring program for LA youth!

Visit the Cotton & Flax shop to grab a set of notebooks — through July, your purchase will support 826LA, and all they’re doing for LA youth!

Pet Approved Home Decor

June 26, 2015

I’m always delighted when customers share photos of their Cotton & Flax pieces on Instagram, but I get a little extra thrill out of seeing your pets enjoy our pillows. My friend recently mentioned that her pup has commandeered one of her Cotton & Flax pillows — definitely not the first time I’ve heard of a pet enjoying our products as much as their human family members do. Above, you can see Whitney’s canine companion Stanlee, cuddled up with his favorite pillows.

Kristine’s dog, Bagel, naps with her favorite Cotton & Flax patchwork pillow (on the sofa from our F/W collection photoshoot).

Sonja’s pup, Apollo, relaxing in style with one of our plus pillows on her cool modern sofa.

Can’t forget Hazel! She tried to steal the show during my last photoshoot with Laure Joliet.

Laura’s pup, Morgan, and Satsuki’s sweet dog, Skippy, even got excited about our notebooks!

Peggy and Louis stick close to their respective pillows (but you can just tell that Louis really wants to go cuddle with Peggy, eh?)

Keep sharing your pictures of pets enjoying Cotton & Flax pillows — tag me on Instagram at @cottonandflax, I’ll be the first person to comment with a heart-eyes emoji!

New Stockist: Read Between The Lines

June 23, 2015

One more awesome new stockist added to the roster this month: Read Between the Lines! Located near downtown Dallas, Texas, in the neighborhood of Victory Park, you’ll find a curated selection of gifts, paper goods, jewelry and home decor from a select group of designers and makers.

If you’re stopping by Read Between the Lines, find my pillows, tea towels, and coasters, and snap a photo – don’t forget to tag @cottonandflax on Instagram or Twitter!

New throw pillows debut today!

June 9, 2015

It’s been quite a while since I debuted new pillows! This year, I decided to change things up a little bit. Rather than debuting two big collections per year (one in Spring, and one in Fall), I decided to release a smaller number of products more frequently, so that things would feel fresher around the studio. It’s been pretty busy at Cotton & Flax HQ — this year, I’ve debuted new tea towels, lavender sachets (which sold out in record time), and patterned notebooks. Phew!

While there are no new patterns in today’s debut, I spent weeks choosing the colors I wanted to add to the collection, and I was surprised by the new shades I finally landed on. The biggest surprise for me was blush pink! I’m certainly not known for being very girly, but this mural by Michelle Weinberg on the Wolfsonian Museum in Miami was so striking, it convinced me that pink + black = next level modernity that needs to be in your home.

I also wasn’t planning to add more blue to the collection, but this bright indigo fabric was calling to me. It just feels so fresh, and adds a nice pop of color to the collection. Love the way it looks next to our gold pillows — really shows off the best traits of both fabrics.

Another new favorite: the dusty blue plus pillow on the top of this pile. This fabric has a subtle warmth to it — a result of being a yarn-dyed linen. I really enjoy this fabric paired with the indigo, or this grey pillow, which you may recognize…

… A return of an old favorite fabric, the black chambray linen! This fabric has a lot of dimension, due to the heathered weave of the chambray fabric, which adds a little complexity to the pattern.

I’m so grateful to have been able to work with Laure Joliet to shoot these pillows! She continues to be one of my favorite artists, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Hooray for collaborating with friends!

I’m excited to hear what you think of the new collection — let me know your favorites on Twitter or Instagram!